Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, before I get on with my story...I have to give some background info...I love my snakes, and I've had them for a long time. This year though, has been a string of bad luck. While at school, I had to buy a heater for my snakes...the heater one day got too hot and killed my pastel ball python and my male tiger retic. I was really dissapointed and what made it worse was that I bought the male tiger retic because my friend who was taking care of my old one found it dead one day...

My friend assured me that my two other snakes, a Female African Rock Python, and that my almost ten foot Female Tiger Retic were safe, along with three of my vision cages. Coming home today, I was expecting to go and pick up my Female Retic, and my African Rock...and my friend called me and while he was away in Dallas for a week, his house was burglarized for the second time in the past three months, and this time...they took my snakes, including my vision cages.

All in all due to burglary, and a space heater, ive lost three tiger retics, my pastel ball python, my african rock python, and three vision cages...bringing the grand total of stolen and lost animals and items to right around 2,000 dollars.

I plan on being not only a Veterinarian but a breeder, and my snakes are more to me than just a valuable item. I mean, they're like my own kids, I put all my energy into them, I take care of them, I feed them, I take them to the vet. I just feel so horrible...this year im graduating so I will be able to take my snakes with me to my new apartment...but something like this really shakes your faith, and demoralizes you. I'm happy to still have my other snakes though. My 8 ft Female Columbian and my 6 ft Male, my little corn that I just bought, and my new baby columbian, Zeus; My gravid 5 ft Ball Python Victoria.
I just wanted somebody to listen. Thank You.

2.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa Constrictors
1.1 Ball Pythons
1.0 Albino Corn Snake

Snakes Lost/Stolen

2.1 Tiger Reticulated Pythons
0.1 African Rock Python
1.0 Pastel Ball Python

ay man, I think your buddy got you for your snakes. HE either kept them and lied to you or they died and he covered it up.

>>ay man, I think your buddy got you for your snakes. HE either kept them and lied to you or they died and he covered it up.

At a minimum, it was an "inside job". Run of the mill burglars don't steal snakes with cages. Ask for a copy of the police report.

Oh, I can't resist any longer. . . You need to check things out to make sure your buddy isn't speaking with a forked tongue.

deg

>>ay man, I think your buddy got you for your snakes. HE either kept them and lied to you or they died and he covered it up.
I agree, I'd be pretty suspicious even if just the snakes were stolen, because your average burglar wouldn't go anywhere near a ten foot retic, much less steal one. But no burglar is going to break into a house and just decide to steal two large snakes and three cages that I'm assuming were pretty big as well. At the very least one or more of his friends did it, and were planning on taking the snakes. But I find it much more likely that he either still has the snakes, he sold them, or they died and he's trying to cover it up.
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MY COLLECTION:
1.0 '04 Columbian BCI
0.1 '05 Sumatran Blood Python
0.0.1 Crested Gecko

MY WISHLIST:
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
0.1 Columbian BCI
1.1 Sumatran Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Borneo Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Dumerils Boa
2.4 Bearded Dragons
1.2 Rankins Dragons
2.6 Crested Geckos

>>>>ay man, I think your buddy got you for your snakes. HE either kept them and lied to you or they died and he covered it up.
>> I agree, I'd be pretty suspicious even if just the snakes were stolen, because your average burglar wouldn't go anywhere near a ten foot retic, much less steal one. But no burglar is going to break into a house and just decide to steal two large snakes and three cages that I'm assuming were pretty big as well. At the very least one or more of his friends did it, and were planning on taking the snakes. But I find it much more likely that he either still has the snakes, he sold them, or they died and he's trying to cover it up.
>>-----
>>MY COLLECTION:
>>1.0 '04 Columbian BCI
>>0.1 '05 Sumatran Blood Python
>>0.0.1 Crested Gecko
>>
>>MY WISHLIST:
>>A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
>>1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
>>1.1 Hogg Island Boas
>>0.1 Columbian BCI
>>1.1 Sumatran Short-Tail Pythons
>>1.1 Borneo Short-Tail Pythons
>>1.1 Dumerils Boa
>>2.4 Bearded Dragons
>>1.2 Rankins Dragons
>>2.6 Crested Geckos

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MY COLLECTION:
1.0 '04 Columbian BCI
0.1 '05 Sumatran Blood Python
0.0.1 Crested Gecko

MY WISHLIST:
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
0.1 Columbian BCI
1.1 Sumatran Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Borneo Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Dumerils Boa
2.4 Bearded Dragons
1.2 Rankins Dragons
2.6 Crested Geckos

Coming home today, I was expecting to go and pick up my Female Retic, and my African Rock...and my friend called me and while he was away in Dallas for a week, his house was burglarized for the second time in the past three months, and this time...they took my snakes, including my vision cages.

Burglars don't break in and steal big snakes and cages. Did he suggest that they must have shown up with a truck, just in case there were some big vision cages to steal? Did these burglars just "happen" to know handle big snakes?

Maybe someone came in and took your stuff, but I don't think it was without your friend's knowledge.

I would insist on seeing the police report. If he didn't call the police, you should offer to do it for him. I suspect you will find he is reluctant to do that. If he is, I think you might want to try and find some better friends.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Sorry I have to agree with the rest.

Your FRIEND set this up. Does your friend have a good job? Check and see if he hasn’t bought something new and Expensive lately, it is X-Mas. Was he behind in rent? Car payment late? He may have owed someone money? Does your friend have a drug problem? This was a set up. What else was taken during this B&E? Ask the neighbors if they saw a truck or van backed up to the house moving those cages. Talk to other people that know this friend see what they know. Call all local pet stores and see if any pythons are for sell. Don’t tell them you are looking for stolen snakes. Tell them you are looking to buy a large Rock Python.
I deal with people like this every day (comes with my job). Sorry, I smell liar….

Dann…

Call the police and have your own report taken regardless of his report, if any. Give them pictures, size, color, and any distinguishing marks. If you do find your snakes call the police. The report will be the only evidence you have to back up your claim.

Dann….

I agree. Not to insult your friend, but it does sound suspicious.

Burglars do sometimes come back when they find an easy spot where they got away with it once. They MIGHT have mentioned it to someone after the first break in who knows a petshop....knows a guy who likes snakes...etc. But I would also be very reluctant to believe it at face value without checking into it further. Does your friend do drugs? A desperate freind can put a 4' Vision up his nose better than any Python can swallow a rat. Even good friends have friends you'd best use caution around. Good luck

just be glad that didnt happen, at least you still have some snakes left. i guess the lesson is dont have snakes unless you have the means to take care of them, but what happened to you was out of your hands
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jake

my addiction:
2 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
1 amelenistic corn snake (mazy)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)

Ok well you said that this is the second time his home was burgerlarized in the last 3 months? Maybe the guys came back for the snakes this time. And your friend was in dallas when this happened? Kinda convenient... Maybe your friends friends stole the snakes? inside job? Fake story? I dont know but whether real story or fake its sad to hear this. Also how I wonder how 10 foot retics just die? I mean I dont know about retics anymore than the average joe but 10ft sounds like they are sub-adults meaning that with the right care they just dont die out of nowhere like hatchlings maybe. Unless they were sick. But its pretty safe to say your friends in on it or a fake story.

>>Well, before I get on with my story...I have to give some background info...I love my snakes, and I've had them for a long time. This year though, has been a string of bad luck. While at school, I had to buy a heater for my snakes...the heater one day got too hot and killed my pastel ball python and my male tiger retic. I was really dissapointed and what made it worse was that I bought the male tiger retic because my friend who was taking care of my old one found it one day...
>>
>>My friend assured me that my two other snakes, a Female African Rock Python, and that my almost ten foot Female Tiger Retic were safe, along with three of my vision cages. Coming home today, I was expecting to go and pick up my Female Retic, and my African Rock...and my friend called me and while he was away in Dallas for a week, his house was burglarized for the second time in the past three months, and this time...they took my snakes, including my vision cages.
>>
>>All in all due to burglary, and a space heater, ive lost three tiger retics, my pastel ball python, my african rock python, and three vision cages...bringing the grand total of stolen and lost animals and items to right around 2,000 dollars.
>>
>>I plan on being not only a Veterinarian but a breeder, and my snakes are more to me than just a valuable item. I mean, they're like my own kids, I put all my energy into them, I take care of them, I feed them, I take them to the vet. I just feel so horrible...this year im graduating so I will be able to take my snakes with me to my new apartment...but something like this really shakes your faith, and demoralizes you. I'm happy to still have my other snakes though. My 8 ft Female Columbian and my 6 ft Male, my little corn that I just bought, and my new baby columbian, Zeus; My gravid 5 ft Ball Python Victoria.
>>I just wanted somebody to listen. Thank You.
>>
>>2.1 Columbian Red Tail Boa Constrictors
>>1.1 Ball Pythons
>>1.0 Albino Corn Snake
>>
>>Snakes Lost/Stolen
>>
>>2.1 Tiger Reticulated Pythons
>>0.1 African Rock Python
>>1.0 Pastel Ball Python

-----
MY COLLECTION:
1.0 '04 Columbian BCI
0.1 '05 Sumatran Blood Python
0.0.1 Crested Gecko

MY WISHLIST:
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
0.1 Columbian BCI
1.1 Sumatran Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Borneo Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Dumerils Boa
2.4 Bearded Dragons
1.2 Rankins Dragons
2.6 Crested Geckos